Ahsan, Ayesha crowned champions

Published March 26, 2007

LAHORE, March 25: It was a day of upsets as Ahsan Qamar and Ayesha Akram emerged as men and women champions ousting favourites Umar Zeeshan and defending champion Asma Butt in the finals of the 50th National badminton championship at the Iqbal Park Sports Complex on Sunday.

Ahsan stunned No.2 Umar 21-16, 13-21, 21-19. Ahsan, who had made a remarkable improvement in his smashing shot also displayed fine court coverage, and made an impressive start winning the first game, despite being 8-10 at one stage.

Umar was much aggressive in the second game and gave no opportunity to Ahsan and managed to restore the parity 1-1.

The fight for the supremacy was at peak in the third game. Umar committed some unforced errors to lose it against high-spirited and accurate Ahsan, though Umar was leading 18-14 at one stage.

In the women's singles' final, Ayesha Akram beat defending champion Asma Butt 21-17, 19-21, 21-17.

After losing the first game, Asma played with long lobs and smashes and won the second game only to lose again in the third round.

In men's doubles' final, Rizwan Azam-Atiq defeated Kashif-Danish 21-14, 21-5.

In women's doubles' final, pair of Butt sisters - Asma and Uzma - outclassed Sara Mohmand-Farzana Ali 21-6, 21-1.

Mixed doubles crown was captured by Attiq-Farzana Ali, beating Sara Mohmand-Rizwan Azam 10-21, 21-8, 21-13.

Tahir Javed claimed the veterans' singles' title by winning against Habib Alam 21-14, 21-10.

Tariq Shaheed-Shakeel Hayat thrashed Iqbal-Aftab Khan to win veterans' doubles title 21-8, 21-10.

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